Sound emitting device



y 1963 J. B. BARRICKS 5, 6

souun EMITTING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 8, 1960 INVENTOR. JUJEP/v 5. BA/PP/C/fi'j United States atent dice 3,095,659 Patented July 2, 1963 3,095,669 SQUND EMITTING DEVICE Joseph B. Barricks, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor of five percent to Marjory Zerin and ninety-five percent to Rudolph L. Lowell, both of Des Moines, Iowa Original application Jan. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 1,330, now Patent No. 3,025,634, dated Mar. 20, 1962. Divided 'and this application Jan. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 170,074

2 Claims. (Cl. 46-179) This invention relates generally to sound emission means and particularly to an inexpensive and simple air operated whistle.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved device for emitting sound.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for air whistles.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved whistle adapted for use as a toy in combination with a balloon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a structure capable of attaining the above designated objectives which is simple, economical, effective and can be of an integral construction.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention will readily appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the whistle of this invention, shown in assembly relation with an inflated balloon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational View of the whistle;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary, cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

This is a divisional application of my co-pen-ding application filed January 8, 1960, Serial No. 1,330.

Referring now to the drawing, the whistle of this invention is indicated generally at in FIG. 1, and is shown assembled with a conventional balloon 11 having a neck portion 12 for gripping the whistle 10. The balloon 11 shown herein inflates to approximately five inches in diameter, twenty-four inches in length, and has a wall thickness of approximately 0.011 inch.

The whistle 10 is of a hard plastic material and comprises a tubular element 13 (FIG. 2) open at both ends 14 and 15. The inner surface 16 FIG. 5) of the element 13 is smooth and forms the wall of an elongated circular chamber 20.

A circumferential ring 17 is formed externally about the element 13, and is utilized to help anchor the neck portion '12 of the balloon. Referring to FIG. 5, the bead 18 of the balloon neck portion 12 is shown as properly placed on the side of the ring 17 opposite the side next to the remainder of the balloon. By this arrangement, the neck portion 12 retains a secure grip on the whistle 10 after inflation of the balloon 11 and during deflation thereof.

The end of the whistle 10, extended within the balloon 11 when assembled, is completely open and devoid of obstacles to the flow of fluid, such as air, under pressure therethrough. Conversely, the opposite end 14 is provided with a wall 19 (FIGS. 4 and 5) both sides of which extend across and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tubular element 13.

Centrally of the wall 19, an opening 21 (FIG. 5) is formed which is concentric with the longitudinal axis of the element 13, and the surface 25 of which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element 13. The opening 21 is depicted as being circular in cross section,

which is the preferred construction. However, it has been found that an opening polygonal in cross section can be utilized at this location. The diameter of the circular opening 21, or the mean diameter of the polygonal-type opening 21 as the case may be, is less than the diameter of the chamber 20 formed within the tubular element 13.

Extended outwardly of the wall 19 is a circular enclosure 23 (FIGS. 2 and 3) having a smooth, inner surface 24 which forms a circular opening 26 contiguous to the opening 21. The inner surface 24 extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the element 13 and has a length approximately one-half the diameter of the opening 21. Although the opening 26 is depicted as being circular in cross section, and which construction is preferred, it has been found that the opening 26 can be of a polygonal shape in cross section. The diameter of the opening 26, or the mean diameter of the polygonal-type opening 26, as the case may be, is slightly more than the diameter of the opening 21. Due to this dimensional difference, a shoulder 27 is formed between the openings 21 and 26, the plane of the shoulder extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the opening 26. Both openings 21 and 26 are concentric with each other and with the circular chamber 20 Within the element 13.

The whistle 10 is of a size such that a child can place his lips about the circular enclosure 23 and against the outer side of the wall 19. He can then blow air through the opening 26, the smaller opening 21, and into the chamber 20. As the chamber 20 is open at the end 15 (FIG. 5), the air will pass through the chamber 20 and out the open end 15.

One physical embodiment of the whistle has an over-all length of 1.26 5 inches, and an outer diameter of 0.667 inch for the tubular element 13. The diameter of the chamber 20 is 0.567 inch and its length is 1.094 inches. The diameter of the inner opening 21 is 0.280 inch, and the diameter of the outer opening 26 is 0.320 inch-0.0 40 inch greater than the diameter of the inner opening 21. The length of the inner surface 24 for the enclosure 23 is 0.140 inch, which is one-half the diameter of 0.280

inch for the opening 21.

It has been found that the ratio of two to one between the diameter of the opening 2 1 and the length of the inner surface 24 produces the most effective whistle. A tolerance of plus or minus 0.008 inch can be had for the length of 0.140 inch of the enclosure inner surface 24. Also, .the radius of the outer opening 26 can vary from 0.020 to 0.025 inch more than the radius of the inner opening 21. Putting it another way, the radial width of the shoulder 27 has a tolerance factor which causes the whistle effect to be reduced in effectiveness if the width is reduced much under 0.020 inch, or increased substantially over 0.025 inch.

In use, the balloon neck portion 12 is stretched about the ring 17 of the whistle 10 as best shown in FIG. 5. The whistle 10 is then placed to the lips as described hereinbefore, and air is blown through the whistle and into the balloon 11. The balloon then becomes inflated as shown in FIG. 1. So long as the mouth or other object is held over the opening 26, the air is under pressure within the balloon 11 and also within the chamber 20. The whistle 10 itself acts as a tank.

Upon Withdrawal of the mouth, the air under pressure rushes out of the balloon 11 through the whistle 10. Should the whistle be held stationary, the balloon will deflate, accompanied by a piercing sound having a Whistle effect which decreases in pitch and loudness. If, however, the Whistle is not held but is released, the outrushing air in addition to providing a whistle-like sound, also has a sufficient thrust of a jet-like effect to force the balloon- 3 and-whistle combination into the air in a manner simulating a rocket.

When the air under pressure within the whistle 10 passes through the inner opening 21, the air diverges, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, due to the increased diameter of the outer opening 26. In so doing, the diverging air impinges upon the circular inner edge 28 of the outer end of the enclosure 23, whereupon the air is slit or pierced as by a reed. The result is a shrill sound, the loudness of which depends upon the pressure of the air within the whistle 10 and the balloon 11.

In summation, an extremely simple and inexpensive sound emitting device is provided, which can be used for example as a toy whistle for use with a balloon or other means for forcing a fluid such as air through the whistle.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it is to be remembered that various modifications and alterations can be made thereto within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A whistle comprising:

(a) a tubular body member including ([2) a pair of tubular sections, with one of said sections having a bore of a reduced diameter and of a shorter length relative to the bore and length of the other of said sections, and

(c) an annular shoulder at the junction of said bores projected inwardly of the bore of said one section so as to form an opening at said junction having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bore of said one section.

2. A whistle comprising:

(a) a tubular body member having a bore open at one end thereof, and a wall at the other end thereof formed with an opening in axial alignment with said bore, and

(b) a tubular extension secured to said Wall and projected outwardly therefrom in axial alignment with said bore, said extension being of a shorter length than said body member and formed with a bore having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bore of said body member and larger than the diameter of said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 291,548 Swan Ian. 8, 1884 1,241,822 Cooney Oct. 2, 1917 1,556,356 Russo Oct. 6, 1925 1,954,688 Vantlees Apr. 10, 1934 2,553,941 Raab May 22, 1951 2,724,212 Ferguson Nov. 22, 1955 

1. WHISTLE COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR BODY MEMBER INCLUDING (B) A PAIR OF TUBULAR SECTIONS, WITH ONE OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING A BORE OF A REDUCED DIAMETER AND OF A SHORTER LENGTH RELATIVE TO THE BORE AND LENGTH OF THE OTHER OF SAID SECTIONS, AND (C) AN ANNULAR SHOULDER AT THE JUNCTION OF SAID BORES PROJECTED INWARDLY OF THE BORE OF SAID ONE SECTION SO AS TO FORM AN OPENING AT SAID JUNCTION HAVING A DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE BORE OF SAID ONE SECTION. 